Frequently Asked Questions

• Foundation plan. (slab, basement, or crawl space)
• Floor plan(s)
• All elevations.
• Typical wall sections and foundation section details.
• Miscellaneous details as needed per house plan.

We recommend a minimal of 5 sets. Your builder will need at least 3 sets (1 as a legal document, 1 to use during inspections, and at least 1 to give to subcontractors). The local building department may require 2. The mortgage lender will require usually 1 set for conventional loans. Additional sets are available at $50.00 each.

No. Since it is possible to make illegal copies of the home plans you received, returns or exchanges are not allowed. You need to make sure of your order before placing it. Also, drawings are prepared upon receipt of your order; therefore, all sales are final.

Our plans do not carry an architect or engineer stamp. Some states require that the house plans be reviewed and sealed by a licensed architect or engineer prior to construction. This is due to concerns over structural design integrity, safety, energy cost, and other factors. It is strongly recommended that you consult your local building officials to see if a home plan review is required in your city or state.

We can not accurately quote a cost to build any house plan. The most accurate measure is to receive a bid from a builder or your local supplier.

Our house plans do include suggested fixture, outlet, switch, etc. locations. Since our home plans are designed to meet national building codes and not any particular provincial / state or county codes, HVAC and plumbing plans are not shown on the drawings. HVAC system information regarding location of units, what types of units are used, and the duct layout are determined by local building codes and your preference of heating and cooling system. Also, we don’t know which direction the water flow will enter your home. Determining the location and the type of these systems you install in your new home is something you would discuss with your local builder, mechanical (HVAC) contractor, and plumbing contractor. They should be able to provide you with the necessary information based on what your local building codes will allow.

Yes, you can have modifications made to the house plans. You can either have Aado Designs do the changes for you, or you can have your local architect or designer make the changes.

Yes, we can design a custom home to fit your needs. For more information on custom home designs, please email us.

We sell house plans across North America. It is very difficult for us to keep up with where each of our home designs are built. We try to accommodate your desire of seeing our home plans by obtaining photos and placing them on our website. We also like to protect the privacy of our customers by retaining sensitive information about their home location etc.

If photos (interior or exterior) are available for any of these house plans, they are added to this website in the photo gallery and with the corresponding house plans detail page.

Our house plans are designed to specifications published by the Ontario Building Code (OBC) and are designed to meet or exceed the National Building Code of Canada published by the Institute of Research in Construction. Some states/provinces, counties, and municipalities have their own building codes, zone requirements, ordinances and building regulations. Your plans may need to comply with the local requirements regarding things such as snow loads, energy codes, wind loads, soil & seismic conditions and other matters depending on your region. In some cases, minor modifications to your home plans by your builder, architect or designer may be required to meet local conditions and requirements. Please check with your local building authorities to verify restrictions in your area before you purchase your house plans.

Absolutely. When you place an order online through Aado Designs, all information is sent encrypted from our secure server to an automated payment-processing center that validates your credit card. Your order information is then sent to us for fulfillment without your credit card information. Your credit card information is never stored on our server and no one will have access to it at any point in the transaction. As for your personal information is concerned, we do not give out any private information under any circumstances.

No. The same is true for any house plan you may purchase. You will need a site plan that shows where the home is going to be located on the lot. Your builder or contractor can usually help you with this. You may also need a septic system design unless your lot is served by a sanitary sewer system. Some counties also have energy codes that have to be followed. This normally involves filling out a form proving compliance. There are some areas of the country that have very strict local engineering codes. Examples of this would be earthquake-prone areas or hurricane risk areas along the Gulf Coast. If you are building in this type of area, it is possible that you will need to hire a local engineer to analyze the home design and provide additional drawings and calculations required by your building department. If you aren’t sure, local building code departments always have a handout they will give you listing all of the things you need to submit for a building permit.

However, in some cases, the plot plan be included by Aado Designs at an additional fee. Please contact us.

We can draw the foundation or you can have a local designer or architect provide the service.

No, mechanical diagrams are not included in the house plans. Due to different climate regions, mechanical diagrams will vary drastically depending on local codes and should be performed by your local mechanical engineer.

Square footage calculations are taken from outside perimeter of the exterior frame wall and includes only living (heated) spaces. Two story, vaulted areas, and staircases are only included once in the calculations of the first floor. Balconies and open walkways are included with the second floor calculations. The combined total gives you the total square footage. Decks, porches, garages, basements, and attics are not included in the total heated square footage. Basements are usually the same square footage of the first floor if it follows the same footprint of the first floor.

Yes you can. This is a simple change that can be handled by your builder during construction with no problem. If it is required in the actual drawings to show 2x6 walls, please contact Aado Designs to obtain a quote

Yes. If you are changing to brick, a brick ledge must be added to the foundation to support the brick. If brick is removed, the ledges on the foundation plan will not be required. This is a common and feasible change.

This depends on when you order and your method of shipment. House plans are usually shipped within 72 hours and if ground shipping is your method expect 7 to 10 business days. If you require any modifications to the plan, the additional time will vary depending on the complexity.